March Gardening Journal

from Austin, Texas
BIRDS-N-GARDEN.COM

Spring Buds Burst into Color!

Mexican Buckeye tree

Late winter temperatures vary greatly in central Texas. We can have highs in the 70s one day and ice covering our gardens the next. This makes gardening more challenging in early spring.


By March, we begin to see a significant amount of spring growth in the garden. Mexican Buckeye trees are a vivid reminder that colorful flowers are about to burst into color all over our gardens. Coral honeysuckle, scabiosa, dianthus, Indian hawthorne and fringe flower are currently blooming.

Butterfly Blue Scabiosa

The birds traveling through the trees now and possibly headed north: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

See the chart below. It will fill up with monthly data.

Rufous Hummingbird American Goldfinch Eastern Screech-Owl

Monarch Butterfly Painted Lady Butterfly



March Gardening and Wildlife Notes
Breaking Dormancy Blooming Sowing & Growing Indoors

Coneflower
Rudbeckia
Daylilies
Cannas
Butterfly Bush
Lantana
Am. Beautyberry
Althea

Coral Honeysuckle
Bignonia
Scabiosa
Dianthus
Verbena
Daffodils
Spirea
Mexican Buckeye
Redbud
Mountain Laurel
Indian Hawthorne

Geraniums
Impatiens
Hollyhock
Hibiscus
Salvia
Celosia
Nicotiana
Asparagus Fern
Tetraploid Daylilies

Last season's cuttings:
Althea
Am. Beautyberry
Euryops pectinatus - Yellow Daisy Bush
Christmas Cactus
Started Indoors Dividing Creatures Highlights

Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Squash
Carrots
Caladiums

Rudbeckia
Daylilies
Scabiosa

2005 FOS (first of season) Sightings:**
Snowberry Clearwing Hummingbird Moth
Black-necked Garter Snake
Monarch
Damselflies
Texas Spiny Lizard
Backyard Wildlife Activity

Insects are bringing everything else back to life! The food chain begins again.

Leopard Frogs mating in creek
Damselflies mating in creek
Snowberry placing eggs on honeysuckle
Screech-owl in nest box
Birds are using creek more actively again for community bathing and drinking
More and more butterflies every day
Koi and Goldfish are becoming active again
Hummingbirds all over Coral Honeysuckle

2002 We were highly populated with Gulf Coast Toads
2003 We were highly populated with Cricket Frogs
2004 We were highly populared with Leopard Frogs

**I do not get to spend enough time observing to make reliable FOS notes. These are casual observations during my work day.



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